H. S. Shivaprakash

H. S. Shivaprakash Biography

H. S. Shivaprakash is a leading playwright and poet from Kannada language. He is professor at the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, holding the position of Dean. His published works include 12 plays, 7 collections of poems as well as a few more books belonging to other categories. His works have been translated to several Indian languages as well as foreign including French, Spanish, German, Italian and Polish. He is an authority on vachana literature, Bhakti movements, Sufi and other mystic traditions. Till now, he has earned 4 Kannada Sahitya Akademi best book prizes. He received Sangeeth Natak Akdemi Award in 1997, Satyakama award in 2003 and Karnataka Rajyotsava Prashasti in 2006. In 2012, he received Sahitya Akademi Award.

Shivaprakash was born in Bangalore in June 1954 as the son of Veerashaiva scholar, Shivamurthy Shastri who has served under Maharaja of Mysore. Shivaprakash took MA in English literature from Bangalore University. After completion of post graduation, he joined the Karnataka government service as an English lecturer. As a lecturer he has served for more than 20 years in different colleges of Karnataka. In 1996, he became the editor of Indian Literature, the bimonthly journal of Sahitya Akademi, Delhi. In 2001, he joined as associate professor Jawaharlal Nehru University and currently a professor of Aesthetics and Performance studies. Most recently he has been appointed as Director of Tagore Centre in Berlin.

Shivaprakash published his first poem collection in the year 1977, titled, Milarepa. It was received well by Kannada readers and Shivaprakash was only 23 then. His second work was published in 1983 titled, Malebidda Neladalli which drew wide attention from public. The poem "Samagara Bhimavva" became an instant hit. Anukshana Charite, Suryajala, Maleye Mantapa and Matte Matte are her other noted anthology works.

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Updated: March 20, 2014